Biography

Yvonne Chaka Chaka: the “Princess of Africa” who made it a cause

On March 18, 1965, in Dobsonville within the Soweto township, Yvonne Ntombizodwa Machaka was born under the apartheid regime. The little Yvonne’s father, a passionate musician, died when she was eleven years old, but her mother, a domestic worker living on a salary of 40 rands per month, instilled in her three daughters a fierce determination. Forty years later, this township daughter would walk global stages as a United Nations Goodwill Ambassador, carrying a voice that first conquered Africa.

In brief


Full name	Yvonne Ntombizodwa Machaka (stage name: Yvonne Chaka Chaka)
Marital name	Yvonne Mhinga
Birth	March 18, 1965, Dobsonville, Soweto, South Africa
Genre	Afro-pop, mbaqanga (South African township music with dominant bass and piano), bubblegum disco
Signature works	“I’m In Love With a DJ”, “Umqombothi”, “I Cry for Freedom”, Motherland
Awards	Order of Ikhamanga in Silver (South Africa), Global Good Power Award (BET 2017), WEF Crystal Award (2012), Forbes Top 10 Most Influential People in Africa

Key dates

Year	Event
1965	Birth in Dobsonville, Soweto
1976	Death of father at age 41
1981	First black child to appear on South African television
1985	Discovered by Dephon Records; first album I’m In Love With a DJ
1986-1988	Back-to-back hits: I’m Burning Up, Sangoma, Thank You Mr. DJ — gold and platinum
1988	I Cry for Freedom, anti-apartheid anthem
1990	Nicknamed “Princess of Africa” during a tour in Uganda
1996	The Power of Afrika — continental reach
2004	“Umqombothi” in the opening scene of the film Hotel Rwanda
2006	Princess of Africa Foundation founded; ambassador for Mandela’s 46664 Campaign
2012	First African woman at the WEF Crystal Award
2018	Autobiography Keep Looking At Me

From township to global stage

Yvonne grew up in Soweto under apartheid. Very young, she sang in church choirs. In 1981, at sixteen, she became the first black child to appear on South African television. In 1984, Phil Hollis of Dephon Records spotted her in Johannesburg. Her first album, I’m In Love With a DJ (1985), sold 35,000 copies in one week. Collaborating with producer Sello “Chicco” Twala, she followed up hits: I’m Burning Up (1986), Sangoma (1987), Thank You Mr. DJ (1987) and I Cry for Freedom (1988). With her powerful alto voice and contagious melodies, she helped make bubblegum disco the dominant dance music in South Africa. Sangoma (1987, Mercury Records) and I Cry for Freedom (1988) confirmed this success.

In 1990, she was awarded the nickname “Princess of Africa” during a tour in Uganda. Between 1990 and 2002, she released Motherland (1990), The Power of Afrika (1996), Back On My Feet (1997), Bombani (1997), Yvonne and Friends (2000) and Kwenzenjani? (2002). She performed alongside Miriam Makeba, Hugh Masekela, Youssou N’Dour and the group Queen. After a break to raise her four sons with her husband Tiny Mhinga, she returned to the stage in 2006 with the Princess of Africa Foundation, dedicated to health and education. She became the first ambassador for Nelson Mandela’s 46664 Campaign, which described her as a “dear daughter” and praised her “generosity” toward families facing AIDS, poverty and illiteracy.

Major works

Work	Year	Why it’s essential
I’m In Love With a DJ	1985	First album, 35,000 sales in one week
Sangoma	1987	International breakthrough on Mercury Records
I Cry for Freedom	1988	Anti-apartheid anthem, political recognition
“Umqombothi” (song)	1988	Featured in the opening scene of the film Hotel Rwanda
The Power of Afrika	1996	Assertion of pan-African influence

Legacy and influence

Yvonne Chaka Chaka opened doors for many African female artists by proving that a black South African woman could conquer the entire continent. Her SAMA and Kora awards, her Order of Ikhamanga, and her commitment as a UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador in the fight against malaria make her a dual figure: leading artist and leading humanitarian activist.